Miniature Wreaths – The How To.

I’m guessing that the majority of you reading this post are now sick to the back teeth of anything remotely Christmas-related.

You’ve munched your way through the super-sized tin of Roses and probably made yourself feel sick in the process, played enough board games to fulfill your year’s quota of ‘quality’ family time and made a permanent bottom shaped dent in the sofa courtesy of the 68,972 classic Christmas movies that you were compelled to watch.

I know I have.

So you’re probably thinking that a DIY wreath tutorial really isn’t top of your viewing priorities right now. Well, I’m here to persuade you that wreaths are not just for Christmas.

Many of you will know that I’m a huge fan of the wreath – in fact it is a gloriously versatile creature that can be used in all manner of ways as part of your wedding decor.

You don’t believe me?

Allow me to elaborate.

You see the wreath doesn’t just have to hang elegantly from the doorway of your reception venue although this does make for the most wonderful style statement.

No, indeed these foliage circlets can also make the most beautiful chairbacks and pew ends, double up as bespoke placenames at each guest’s table setting, or add an organic element to the wedding breakfast when integrated into table centrepieces.

Hell you can even crown yourself with these arcs of delight as a finishing touch to your wedding outfit if you want to.

The beauty of wreaths is that they are so incredibly easy to make. Honestly, hand on heart folks, I promise they are…all you need to do is follow these simple steps.

What You Will Need:

Foliage/Flowers – we used different varieties of eucalyptus and viburnum berries (I’d love to be able to tell you which ones but I am officially rubbish and cannot remember what the lovely market trader said they were).

Ribbon – to match your colour scheme.

Step 1 – First Base.

There are two basic techniques typically used in creating wreaths. The first consists of wiring materials to a metal base and the second involves applying them to a rounded straw or foam structure.

Floristry folks – feel free to jump in here if there are any others that I’ve missed.

I like wire frames the most as I think they offer bucketloads of versatility plus they’re sturdy enough for heavier materials such as thick branches and citrus fruits if you’re looking to introduce them into the mix.

I chose a double-wire frame to create a truly luscious wreath; if you’re after a more delicate and ethereal look and feel however I’d recommend purchasing a single-wire frame to help you on your way.

The first step is to pad out the main structure of your wreath base to give it substance.

I used moss as the base material for the wreath and picked up a huge bag at my local flower market for the grand total of £3.50. Cheap as chips!

Following the shape of the wire base, secure your moss to the frame using florists wire. I used several individual pieces and bunched them up next to each other to ensure that I created a really circular shape rather than relying on a single piece of moss to cover the whole base.

Top Tip: Don’t be afraid to really pad out your base with plenty of moss as it means you’ve got a really great foundation to work from – you don’t want to see any of the wire base in the finished product.

Step 2 – It’s All About The Bundles.

Select several stems of your different varieties of foliage to create small bundles. Aim for approximately 4-5 pieces of foliage per bundle and try to select stems of different heights to add interest.

Wire each bundle together by wrapping your florists wire tightly around the stems three times leaving the excess wire pointing downwards. Do not cut this excess off as you’ll need it later.

Step 3 – Overlapping And Wrapping.

Once you’ve created your first bundle lay it flat against your wreath base and push the excess wire of the bundle through the moss padding.

Wrap the excess wire on the bundle tightly around the moss to secure it to the wreath itself. Secure the ends of the florists wire and cut off any excess if necessary.

Add a second bundle to your wreath overlapping the previous one by approximately half or whatever you feel is most appropriate. Secure this bundle to the wreath in the same way as you attached the first as outlined in step three.

Always make sure that you secure each bundle with the the stems pointing downwards towards you.

Continue adding bundles of foliage to your wreath following the steps above until the mossy base is fully covered.

Top Tip: I twisted the wreath slightly in an anti-clockwise direction each time I added a bundle on top of the one before to make the wreath easier to work with. This way you’re not forced to constantly change the position in which you’re working.

If you’re striving for a really luscious looking wreath, try using greater numbers of bundles placed closely together for a thick and leafy feel. Don’t be too rigid with your placement of your bundles either as you’ll lose the sense of the organic that makes wreaths so beautiful.

Top Tip: Don’t try to include too much foliage in a single bundle – a thick bunch of greenery can be difficult to wire together making the whole process cumbersome and your fingers hurt.

Step 4 – Beribboning.

Finish off your fantastic creation by looping a ribbon of your choice around the wreath and securing it tightly. We loved the simplicity of the mossy base as well as the foliage filled circlet so we opted to show you both.

Which is your favourite?

So there you have it, a foolproof step by step guide to making your very own circlets of glory.

The perfect way to wile away a rainy afternoon – from the looks of the weather forecast folks there’s plenty of time to make literally hundreds of them.

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18 thoughts on “Miniature Wreaths – The How To.”

Fab tutorial Miss Lolly!!
Although you are now making me want to stop work & start making wreaths instead!! Eeek! :-/
xxx
Ps. adore the top wreath with all those pretty flowers & feathers!! Oh how I adore feathers!!!